Spanish & Portuguese Cinema
Undoubtedly the backbone of Alice's Spanish collection are the films of Pedro Almodovar. Since the 1980s this unique film maker has been bringing us such gems as 'Laws of Desire', 'Women on the Verge...' and 'Tie Me Up, Tie Me Down' and nurturing the talents of actors such as Antonio Banderas, Victoria Abril and Penelope Cruz.
But there is more to Spanish film than the talented Mr Almodovar. Everything from the beautiful and haunting works of Carlos Saura to the off-beat and darkly humourous tales of Alex de Iglesia.
Pictured right: One-of-a-kind helmer, Pedro Almodovar.
The Last Circus (2010)
6.6/10
Director: Alex De La Iglesia
Starring: Manuel Tallafe, Antonio de la Torre, Carlos Areces, Carolina Bang
Director Alex de la Iglesia presents this twisted tale of love and revenge set in a 1970s Spanish circus. Javier, a Sad Clown, finds work in a circus... Read more
Chaotic Ana (2007)
6.4/10
Director: Julio Medem
Starring: Manuela Velles, Charlotte Rampling, Bebe , Asier Newman, Nicolas Cazale
Ana (Manuela Velles) is an innocent, living a sheltered existence as an artist in an Ibizan cave with her father; but when Justine (Charlotte Rampling... Read more
Eva (2011)
6.7/10
Director: Kike Maillo
Starring: Daniel Bruhl, Lluis Homar, Anne Canovas, Marta Etura, Alberto Ammann, Claudia Ve...
2041. Alex Garel is a well-known robot programmer who, after 10 years, returns to his home town to work in his old university, when his friend Julia b... Read more
Carmen (1983)
7.7/10
Director: Carlos Saura
Starring: Antonio Gades, Laura Del Sol, Paco De Lucia
This flamenco adaptation of Bizet's classic opera "Carmen", based on the novel by Merimee, mixes a dramatic story of jealousy and treachery with actua... Read more
The Heart of the Earth (2007)
6/10
Director: Antonio Cuadri
Starring: Catalina Sandino Moreno, Sienna Guillory, Philip Winchester, Bernard Hill, Joaqu...
Lavish historical epic begins with the brutal oppression of Spanish workers in the Rio Tinto coppermines in 1887. Owned by a British company, the mine... Read more
Chico and Rita (2010)
Director: Fernando Trueba, Javier Mariscal, Tono Errando
Starring: Limara Meneses, Eman Xor Ona
Oscar-winning director Fernando Trueba ("Belle Epoque") and Spain's legendary artist Javier Mariscal celebrate the music and culture of Cuba with an e... Read more
Eccentricities of a Blond-Haired Girl (2009)
Director: Manoel De Oliveira
Starring: Cararina Wallenstein, Ricardo Trepa
This lyrical drama delivered by centenarian director Manoel de Oliveira takes its narrative cues from a 19th-century short story from Portuguese write... Read more
High Heels (1991)
7.2/10
Director: Pedro Almodovar
Starring: Victoria Abril, Miguel Bose, Marisa Paredes
A famous torch song singer (Marisa Parides) returns to Spain from Mexico with the hope of being reunited with the daughter (Victoria Abril) she previo... Read more
La Ardilla Roja ( aka The Red Squirrel ) (1993)
Director: Julio Medem
Starring: Emma Suarez, Maria Barranco, Nancho Novo, Karra Elejalde, Carmelo Gomez
An anti-macho parable and passionate love story about a woman who loses her memory in a motorcycle accident. Suicidal Jota saw the whole thing and put... Read more
Vacas (1992)
7.2/10
Director: Julio Medem
Starring: Ana Torrent, Emma Suarez, Carmelo Gomez, Txema Blasco
Director Julio Medem presents a saga spanning over half a century of the twisted goings on between two families in Northern Spain. Carmelo Gomez and K... Read more